The police arrested Janata Dal-United candidate Anant Singh early on Sunday morning in Bihar's Mokama in connection with the murder of Dularchand Yadav, who campaigned for the Jan Suraaj Party candidate.
The police arrested Singh, who is contesting the Mokama assembly seat, between 1 and 2 am and presented him before the chief judicial magistrate.
Yadav died at Khushhalchak village three days ago during election campaigning. An assailant reportedly shot him, and an SUV crushed him, officials confirmed.
The incident had taken place close to the Bhadaur and Ghoswari police stations in the Mokama area.
Anant Singh, the controversial former Bihar MLA seeking to reclaim Mokama seat, and his two nephews face charges in the murder case.
Locally known as a 'Bahubali', Singh faces over two dozen cases, including charges of murder, kidnapping, and extortion. He recently secured release from jail.
Patna district magistrate Tayag Rajan and SSP Kartkey Sharma confirmed the arrest at a joint press conference late on Saturday night.
DM Rajan stated the incident was an attack on law and order. He promised stern action against everyone involved in the crime.
SSP Sharma revealed that Anant Singh was present during the clashes. The police arrested the JD-U candidate after fully investigating the crime, he added.
The SSP also said that both campaigning groups filed separate FIRs about the incident.
Singh, who has been under the scanner since the killing of Yadav, who recently clashed with his sympathisers, was picked up from his house in Barh, about 200 km from the state capital.
The police also arrested two other persons, Manikant Thakur and Ranjeet Ram, who were also present when the incident took place, in connection with the murder of Dularchand Yadav.
According to Yadav's post-mortem report, he died of cardiorespiratory failure due to shock caused by injury to the heart and lungs by a hard and blunt substance, the SSP said.
“Therefore, the post-mortem report and preliminary investigation suggest that it's a case of murder,” the SSP said.
Investigations also revealed that all three were present at the time of the incident, SSP Sharma said.
“They have been arrested as part of a police investigation into the murder case of Yadav. A total of four FIRs, one pertaining to the violation of the model code of conduct, have been registered by the police to investigate the incident,” the SSP said, adding that Singh was named in one of the FIRs.
The multiple-term former MLA, whose wife Neelam Devi currently represents the Mokama seat, has also been booked for model code of conduct violation as instances of his moving about in large cavalcades have come to the fore.
When asked about the killing of Yadav, Singh had admitted to a clash between his supporters and the deceased, but also sought to put the blame on Suraj Bhan, his old rival in the underworld and local politics, whose wife Veena Devi is contesting the seat on an RJD ticket.
Yadav, a dreaded gangster of the 1990s known to be at odds with Anant Singh, was supporting Priyadarshi Piyush, a political greenhorn fielded by Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj Party.
Meanwhile, the Election Commission on Saturday ordered the transfer of Patna superintendent of police (Rural) and action against three other officials, taking a stern view of violence in Mokama, involving the killing of Yadav.
"The Commission directed that Vikram Sihag, Superintendent of Police (Rural), Patna, may also be transferred. Hence, a panel of officers for posting a substitute in his place may be sent urgently," the poll authority told the state chief electoral officer on Saturday.
It ordered the appointment of new officials to replace the sub-divisional officer of Barh, who is also the returning officer of Mokama assembly seat, sub-divisional police officer Barh-1, and sub-divisional police officer Barh-2.
While ordering disciplinary proceedings against the three, it also directed that Abhishek Singh, the sub-divisional police officer of Barh-2, be also placed under suspension.
Bihar goes to the polls in two phases on November 6 and 11, while votes will be counted on November 14. -- With PTI inputs
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